\'67 Frame Rot - Repair Or Replace?

Hi,
I have my Dad's '67 Galaxie and I suspect it will need frame rust repair soon. When I jack it up by the pads behind the front tire the fender gaps change quite a bit, like 1/2". The back end feels looser too than I remember.

Can you guys tell me what to look for and where? Also is there a way to repair / reinforce the frame or do I need to find a new frame from an arizona car or something.

Thanks, Chuck

The 2 most common places to rust are the frame rails unnder the doors (between the "torque boxes") and the kick up over the rear end. I have seen repairs made to the side rails by welding "L" shaped lengths of steel between the torque boxes. The rear kick up is more difficult to get to.

The other side is, those frames are relativley easy to get out of there. I bought a frame from Desert Valley Auto Parts in Arizona some years ago for another '67 I had.

I guess it just depends on how "bad" the rust is.

Hope that helps.

BTW, haven't I seen your name over on the FE Forum? I don't post there much at all, but read all I can.

Oh , and Welcome to Fordmuscle!

Jim

_________________

1967 Galaxie 500 XL 390/4-speed
Toploader + Hurst = The ONLY shiftkit!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 673904spd on 12/18/04 10:19pm ]</font>

My first car was a '67 Galaxie 500. The frame was rotted out under the doors along the bottom of the box frame and the 'hump' over the rear was a mess.

After letting it sit outside for one winter it was to the point that I was afraid to jack it up. Heck, I was sure something was gonna give the one time I had to use a bumper jack. When it got to the point where I could feel the bakc of the car walking around and twisting through turns I decided it was time to either fix it or sell it. The rest of the car was pretty rough and I didn't have the time or moeny to do a truly good job with all the rust, so I sold it. Kind of a shame as now I wish I had just put it in my grandma's garage and let it sit until I knew more and had a little time and money as now I think I could handle a frame swap.

Oh well. Anyhow, here's a link on swapping the frame. It's for a '65, but '65-'68 frames are the same, with the exception of '65s mounted the rear springs slightly differently. So if you get a frame a '66-'68 would be preferable as you wouldn't need to change anything on it, just clean it up and install.

http://lovefords.org/tech/65_frame.htm

As for repairing it, that depends on how bad the rust is and how good your skills are.

No Problemo on Frame repair. I inhereted a original paint 66 Galaxie 500 from my aunt that died at 96.
It was the proverbial Granny Car only driven on weekend trips etc in mint condition except the right frame rail was rusted (where the tires kicked up the NY winters salt spray from the melting snow on sides of roads-hence right mostly side damage.) Anyway I measured the frame rails and went to a Sheet Metal Shop and had them make tight fitting about 3"-4" deep U channel slieves from the heaviest gauge Galv. sheet metal they could bend that slipped over the rails from the bottom. They cost less then $30.... After cutting into the frame rails undersides with a sawzall I sandblasted and wire brushed while on the car from an outside lift the frame rail internals etc and applied self etching primer (Varipime) Next I coated the rails and channels with commercial two part epoxy (3000PSI rated) we use to manufacture filter cartridges using about a quart or so total. With a rubber mallet I hammered the slieves on and let them cure. Then re-ran brake/fuel lines etc That was years ago and the results were like night and day the entire car tightened up big time....

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: qikbbstang on 12/18/04 11:22pm ]</font>

Thanks for all the info guys. I was told this was a really good galaxie forum.

Yes I learn a lot and post a little at the FordFE.com forum.

I just finished the cobra and am sorting through what next projects I have, restoring my '66 F-100 and this frame-ectomy on the galaxie.

It sounds like if I could find a good frame (with power steering) I'd solve a couple of problems.

Thanks, Chuck